Top 10 Greatest Avengers Of All Time

2. Iron Man (Tony Stark)

How did Robert Downey Jr. put it in The Avengers? Even without his famous armor, Tony is a “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.” Except for maybe the playboy part, all of those qualities have helped get him almost all the way to the top of our little mountain.

The genius part is obvious. Along with turning himself into Iron Man, Tony came up with much of the technology the team has historically relied upon (though not the Quinjets, which Black Panther and Wakandan scientists designed). His funding for the Avengers has also been invaluable, and he’s even given fellow members a place to live, first in Avengers Mansion, and later in Avengers Tower.

Clearly not someone who fits the classic leader mold, Stark has nevertheless been able to command the respect and loyalty of his teammates throughout the decades, and he’s served as chairman of Avengers squads on multiple occasions. He certainly has a tendency to rub people the wrong way, and his knack for thinking he’s right at all times can be grating — indeed, an argument can be made that Tony’s arrogance will ultimately be his undoing — but his heart is usually in the right place.

It’s simply impossible to picture the Avengers without Iron Man, as he was there at the beginning and will likely be there until the end. That’s nearly enough to make him number one, but his periodic turns to the Jerk Side and the fact that the most impressive leader in comic book history is also on the team means he tops out at number two.

Next: Not a founder, but the greatest Avenger of them all